The soils on my family farm in northeast Nebraska are clay loams with a high soil pH (greater than 7.2) and calcareous (lime chips lie on the soil surface). I call them tight clays and generally do not consider them good soils for soybeans. Yet, if managed properly, these soils can produce good soybeans if we maintain organic levels of 2.5% to 3% and keep the crop properly fed.

Keeping soil pH in the optimal range is essential to producing high-yielding crops such as soybeans. ...